The California Department of Social Services has clarified requirements about how the County Welfare Departments (CWDs) will accept information for participants of CalWORKs and CalFresh electronically. Electronically submitted information can include reporting changes, submitting verification, and other information that might affect the participants’ case.
CWDs must accept and process all information submitted by participants by e-mail, fax or the BenefitsCal Portal, even if that information is sent fby email to individual staff, general, shared or unencrypted. CWDs will not be cited in error for confidentiality if the participant has sent an unencrypted email. While all of these will be acceptable forms of information, CDSS says submitting by email may lead to some operational challenges and encourages participants to submit information via the BenefitsCal Portal. Making a BenefitsCal account is encouraged but information may be submitted anonymously without an account. (ACIN I-01-25, January 29, 2025.)